Local Company Donates Eyeglasses To Pittsburgh Schools

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - About two-dozen students at Pittsburgh Arsenal Pre-K and Arsenal 6-8 can now see better, thanks to a generous donation.

The children received free eye glasses, courtesy of Daniel Childs, the founder of Chromos Eyewear and Chromos Cares.

"If you can't see, you can't learn," says Childs. "You can't read a book, you're struggling, there's nothing you can really do – especially if you don't know that's the problem if that's how you've been your whole life."

Childs is a graduate of Taylor-Alderdice High School. He launched his own brand of glasses a few years ago, and he quickly realized that he wanted to give back to the community.

So, he started Chromos Cares, which provides free glasses to children who are underprivileged.

"We come in on one Monday of the month. We'll give eye exams to students who have been pre-screened and need glasses, or are border line for needing glasses," says Childs. "We give a full eye exam on that Monday, and then for the kids who do need glasses, we pick out frames. Over the next week, we get the lenses, cut the lenses."

On Tuesday, 23 children received their new glasses.

"I couldn't see the words," says Kevin Samson, an eighth grade student. "It was blurry, but thank God I see now."

"I think it's cool having glasses," says Aaliyah Williams, a fifth grade student.

Childs says Tuesday's event was just the beginning.

Starting in the fall, the Chromos Cares team will travel to a different Pittsburgh public school to do screenings, eye exams and then eventually hand out free glasses.

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